Looking Back: 11-12-25

130 Years Ago

November 9, 1895

Thomas Langabeer has resigned his position in Keck's barber shop. He has purchased a half interest in Hillyer's shop, and the firm will hereafter be known as Hillyer & Langabeer.

Anchor Burns — The village of Anchor was almost destroyed by fire on Monday afternoon. The fire started in Dr. Banks' frame office, which was destroyed together with the following other buildings: E. B. Stewart's three story single brick, occupied by Worley & Hester, general merchandise; Mrs. T. J. Williams, milliner; W. H. Watson's two story frame building, the second floor was occupied by the I. O. O. F. Hall; Carter's frame building, occupied by Caler Bros. Meat Market; Danel & Martin's double frame two story building, occupied by them with a hardware store and Ed Farmer's pool hall on the second floor; W. E. McReynolds' one story brick, occupied by Grandstaff's barber shop in the rear; and Rick's building occupied by a pool hall.

Willis Compton has been appointed to the place of bill clerk at the railroad depot.

120 Years Ago

November 10, 1905

The Fairbury Laundry was visited by a fire Tuesday afternoon which completely ruined the laundry and wash room and also did some damage to Mr. Alt's house and the Central Opera House. The fire originated by the explosion of a gasoline generator which furnishes gas to heat the manglers. The cause of the explosion was the breaking of a belt operating a fan which drives the gas to the machines. When the belt broke the check valve on the generator failed to work and the flame was worked back into the generator which blew up with the report of a cannon.

The Waukegan football team, one of the strongest teams of northern Illinois, will play the Fairbury Athletic football team here Thanksgiving Day. This will be the best game ever witnessed in Fairbury, as the teams are evenly matched.

The number of births in the county during the nine months, from January to October, are largely above the number of the corresponding months of last year. The following is the record of the stork for the past nine months as reported to the county clerk's office by the physicians in attendance: total number or births reported, 512; total number of still births, 16; total number of boys, 251; total number of girls, 259; sex not given, 2.

110 Years Ago

November 12, 1915

Will C. Schmidt spent the first of the week in Chicago buying dry goods for Walton Bros. Co.

H. H. Phelps has leased the part of the Fogel building formerly occupied by Ray Eggleston and will have his Ford business located there.

Quite a number from this city accompanied the ball team to Chatsworth, Sunday, and saw them win from that team 6 to 5.

R. A. McAllister is minus the tip of one of the fingers on his left hand as the result of coming in contact with a corn elevator at the home of the Teesdale brothers, where he was working.

100 Years Ago

November 13, 1925

"Gib" Harris, formerly of this city, but who for the past ten years has conducted the ice business at Chatsworth, has sold the same, according to the Plaindealer: T. G. Harris has sold his ice business in Chatsworth to John M. Plank, the ice manufacturer of Piper City. The latter took possession November first. The transfer includes the ice house situated near the Walter Tile Factory pond, all tools employed in the business and the good will of the late owner.

Mrs. James B. Armstrong, who was born here and spent the greater part of her life in this city and vicinity, passed away at the home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Frank S. Corkhill, at Kenton, Ohio, last Saturday. She was aged 33 years, 4 months and 19 days. Mrs. Armstrong's death was caused by lockjaw, the effect of having a tooth pulled. It was a wisdom tooth, and she had considered having it filled but upon advice of her dentist decided to have it pulled. Lockjaw developed the next day, and several days later, caused her death.

The supper and bazaar given by the American Legion Auxiliary Wednesday evening was well patronized. Close to 350 people ate supper with them and the bazaar brought in $60. Later in the evening the 129^th Infantry Band gave a concert and dance at the Fairbury Opera House that was largely attended. A prize waltz was one of the features of the evening and was won by Lester King of Pontiac and Miss Dorothy Dixon of Fairbury.

90 Years Ago

November 8, 1935

While excavating for a basement under the home of Mr. and Mrs. D. F. Gillespie (the Z. T. Hanna home) located at the southeast corner of the Eighth and Ash Streets intersection, James Word found what is undoubtedly a petrified egg. The surface of the egg is in perfect condition and in weight it is just like so much rock. Close inspection leaves no doubt in the mind about it being a genuine specimen of petrifaction, and not a china nest egg.

Farm land belonging to the Jacob Worrick estate consisting of 280 acres and located about seven miles south of this city, was sold by Special Master in Chancery Neale Hanley Saturday afternoon at the city hall, to close the estate. The southeast 80-acre tract was bought by Joseph Gerber and O. A. Shanks. T. D. Karnes purchased the southwest 80, J. W. Wade was high bidder on the northwest 80 and T. R. Voorhees bought the northeast 40. There was some variation in the prices paid for the several tracts, but the average was about $107 per acre, the 280 acres bringing a total of $30,000.

C. J. Hadaway, manager of the Texaco Service Station, was the victim of a painful accident at the station about a week ago. While sitting in a chair he leaned the chair back against a radiator, the chair legs slipped on the oily floor, causing his head to strike the radiator with considerable force, inflicting an injury which required the attention of a physician.

80 Years Ago

November 9, 1945

Midget automobile racing, which has been popular the country over, is coming to Fairbury. The Shaw Construction Company, of Decatur, is now engaged in constructing a midget race track at the Fairbury fair grounds, and it will be ready when the racing season starts next spring. The track, which is one-fifth of a mile around, when completed, will be the shape of an oval bowl. This big bowl, which will be of dirt, will be banked four feet high, 44 feet wide at the turns and 38 feet wide on the straight-aways.

Governor Dwight H. Green has proclaimed next Monday as a legal holiday in Illinois. This action was taken because November 11, Armistice Day, occurs on Sunday. In keeping with Governor Green's proclamation the business houses of Fairbury will be closed next Monday. Armistice Day services will be held Sunday at 2:30 p.m. at Graceland Cemetery.

Eli Leman and Emil Schultz, owners of the Corn Belt Elevator, Monday purchased of S. C. Van Horne, the latter's elevator at Lodemia, taking possession at once. The elevator was put into operation on Tuesday, with Carl Rapp as manager, grain being both received and shipped out. On account of the strike on the T. P. & W., the local firm will truck their grain to Lodemia and ship it out over the Wabash from there.

70 Years Ago

November 11, 1955

An elderly couple, Mr. and Mrs. John Grunert of Forrest, escaped injury Tuesday morning when they thwarted a holdup attempt in their store. The thief was captured west of Gibson City several hours after the holdup.

The season's first snow followed by the lowest temperatures since last March served notice this week that winter wasn't near at hand, but already here.

Mr. and Mrs. John Traub were married Sunday, Oct. 30. Mrs. Traub is the former Bonita Stein.

Charles Merritt Jr., of Forrest, receives his Eagle Scout badge. He is the first in this area to hold that honor for two years.

Wm. Arends, administrator of the Fairbury Hospital for the past seven years, resigned and has accepted a position as field representative with the American Hospital Supply Corp. of Evanston.

60 Years Ago

November 11, 1965

Surely four registered Guernseys loading on a freight car at Bloomington doesn't make a news story. But when you add that the two-year-old heifers were donated free and clear to an orphanage in Korea, it might make a story. And then when you add that the four cows were given by local farmers, and they are valued at $300 each, things shape up for a local news item. Donors were Wallace Alpers and James Keeley, Fairbury; Myron Erdman, Chenoa; and Carol Garrett, Anchor. Each heifer will calve after arriving in Korea. it will be an 18-day trip over the water by boat, and they will arrive before Christmas. About $1,350 was raised in Bloomington for the passage.

Blade writer Dale Albee announced today that he has accepted a post with the News-Palladium in Benton Harbor, Mich. He assumes the position Monday, Nov. 22. Albee will be a news bureau man working in small communities south of the twin cities. The Herald Press in St. Joseph merged with the News-Palladium in Benton Harbor one year ago. The daily papers combine a circulation of 26,000. Albee has worked on The Blade staff a total of five years.

A Cropsey farmer received the Ford farm efficiency management award this past weekend. Harold Elliott, 54, was named one of 15 top U. S. farmers by the Ford Motor Company. The Ford Company awards 14 efficiency honors in various departments. Winners of the nationally-recognized awards are selected by the staff of the Ford Almanac, edited by John Strohm, internationally-known farm writer, in cooperation with other agricultural experts. Elliott has been on the farm south of Cropsey since leaving Illinois Wesleyan University in 1931.

50 Years Ago

November 13, 1975

The Cropsey facility of the Fairbury-Cropsey Community Unit School system was sold at public auction Saturday to Ben Kafer, for $11,200, in an auction conducted by the McLean County Board of School Trustees. Contending bidder was Mrs. Louise Furrer, who reportedly was representing her brother, Earl Steffen, a manufacturer of specialty lawnmowers. The property consists of five acres with a two-story brick school. The building, which once housed the entire Cropsey Elementary and High School, has been used for the last half-dozen years as the location for all 6^th graders in the F-C Unit. It was closed last week when the sixth graders were moved to unused space on the Westview campus as an economy measure.

If you saw Cropsey's Lois Simpson huffing and puffing around Fairbury last week, you couldn't really accuse her of being out of shape, because she was toting around three carrots totaling eight pounds, and a sweet potato weighing another three pounds. Lois grew the immense vegetables herself, and utilized them in the making of the soup for last week's Cropsey United Methodist Youth Fellowship soup and chili supper.

A 6,000 pound Cummins diesel generator was delivered to Fairbury Hospital last Thursday morning. According to Dan Roth of Maurer & Roth, who sold the generator to the hospital, the new generator kicks on automatically in about five seconds after a power failure. Koehl Bros. provided a hydraulic crane to move the generator from a semi-bed. Workers at the scene included two Koehl employees, Wendell Cooperider, head of maintenance at Fairbury Hospital, and fellow employees, Sam Runyon, Tom Schahrer and Russell Tjarks.

40 Years Ago

November 7, 1985

The Dominy Memorial Public Library has been awarded a 60-volume set of The Library of America, the series that 'American Heritage' magazine called "The most ambitious effort ever undertaken to put the best of American literature into the hands of the general reader." The library is receiving the award after submitting an application to the Library of America and obtaining a pledge of $500 from an anonymous donor. The Library of America is a non-profit publishing program that began in 1982 in an effort to restore America's literary heritage by publishing the collected works of America's major authors in a uniform, hardcover series.

Canada geese, slightly over two dozen of them, floated serenely on the mirror surface of the Munz Sand Pit in the middle of Fairbury's Indian Creek Country Club. They had interrupted their southerly migration to headquarter here for the past few weeks while feeding on surrounding fields and also on generous donations from Virg Munz, chief custodian of the pond which has provided entertainment as a swimming hole, skating rink, golf driving range, fishing hole and loafing spot for a couple of generations of area residents.

Mrs. Curtis (Marjorie) Weeks of Fairbury suffered a fall, breaking the same hip that was broken three years ago. Mrs. Weeks, her husband and daughter and family (Jim and Liz Wharton and daughter, Julie) had attended a movie at College Hills Mall in Normal when the accident happened. It appears she will be in traction for about six weeks. She is at St. Francis Hospital, Peoria.

30 Years Ago

November 8, 1995

The Fairbury City Council entered into an agreement with Mills Associates of Bloomington to access future options of the City Hall building at their regular meeting last week. The council is considering three options: updating the current city hall, but not retaining its historic mark; keeping the city hall as an historic building; or remodeling part of the former Honegger building, which is currently owned by the city. A portion of the Honegger building had been demolished, leaving the one-story office. Prior plans involved moving the city hall to the new location on West Locust Street, but structural stability of the site is in question.

Watch for the stop arms on school buses, says Prairie Central Director of Transportation Dorothy Tomlison. She has been doing her job at PC for 10 years, and before that, was a bus driver for the district for 25 years. The State of Illinois recently passed stiffer penalties for violators who drive by school buses when they have stop arms and red lights flashing. The first offense punishment is a three-month suspension of their driver's license, and a $150 fine. A second offense within five years would result in the loss of the driver's license for a year and a $500 fine.

Joining Duffy-Pils Memorial Homes at Chenoa is Washburn native, Michael D. Strauch. He began his duties as general manager on Nov. 1, and has recently moved into the apartment above the memorial home at 302 Lincoln St., Chenoa. Strauch, a Washburn native, comes to Duffy-Pils with seven years experience as a licensed Funeral Director/Embalmer. He is a 1984 graduate of Low Point-Washburn High School. He then attended Illinois Central College, East Peoria, and graduated from Worsham College of Mortuary Science, Chicago, in 1987.

20 Years Ago

November 9, 2005

The Prairie Central Junior High speech club attended the state speech contest at Cornell Grade School on Saturday, Oct. 29. Winners who received first place ratings are Sharnell Knapp, Marla Steidinger and Karla Edelman. Also attending the contest were  Ethan McPherson, Faith Steidinger, Carson Cross, Joe Tolliver, Dan Schweizer and Chaeyenne Stephens.

Mervyn and Marianna Kaeding of Piper City celebrated their 50^th wedding anniversary with an open reception at the Piper City Community Building on Saturday, Nov. 5. The event was hosted by their children. Kaeding and the former Marianna Vaughn were married Nov. 6, 1955 at the Methodist Church in Piper City. They are the parents of Cathy Schwarz, Judy Schwarz, Lori Kietman and Shelly Harrell. One daughter, Deanna, is deceased. They also have 11 grandchildren. He retired from Pontiac National Bank in 1998 and she retired from Alexander Lumber Co. of Gilman in 1998.

Michael Hoomanawanui. That's the name of a player Illinois football fans should become familiar with in the near future. As far as Prairie Central fans are concerned, its the name of a player they would rather forget. Hoomanawanui scored three touchdowns, including a 4-yarder with 1:17 to go in the game, to help Central Catholic edge the Hawks 36-33 in a Class 4A second-round contest at Hundman Field on Saturday.

10 Years Ago

November 11, 2015

The Fairbury City Council has authorized the final pay request to Tarter Construction for completion of the Brian J. Munz Public Safety Complex. The motion was approved with the stipulation the check will not be written until the city receives all of the proper paperwork. The amount totals $56,737.89.

Kenneth and Gail Kafer, Fairbury, celebrated their 50^th wedding anniversary with an open house celebration Oct. 25. They will also take a Disney cruise with their family in November. Kenneth Kafer and Gail Cox were married Nov. 6, 1965, in Cropsey. They are the parents of Kent (Amy) Kafer, Kevin (Heidi) Kafer and Courtney (Mark) Farrell, all of Fairbury. They also have seven grandchildren. Before retiring, the Kafers owned and operated Pontiac RV.

The Prairie Central cross county team ended their season Saturday, October 31 at the Lisle Sectional. The girls took away an 8^th place finish out of 20 total teams. They were only 27 points shy of advancing to the state meet at Peoria. Leading the way for the Hawks was Caitlyn Ifft 15^th, Megan Ifft 42^nd, Daphne Matson 50^th, Emma Fogarty 59^th, Abbi Bazzell 79^th, Vivian Walter 86^th and Summer Huber 94^th. The boys barely missed out, scoring 161 points, only five away from 5^th place advancing Elmhurst (Timothy Christian). Leading the way for the Hawks was sophomore Jake Maquet in 10^th place overall. He will be advancing to the state meet at Detweiller Park in Peoria. Following Maquet were senior Kyler Knapp 18^th, Nathan Somers 35^th, Carter Evans 63^rd, Tyler Porter 64^th, Liam Barnes 76^th and Dawson Toller 82^nd.

Looking Back from Kari Kamrath is sponsored each week on Fairbury News by Duffy-Pils Memorial Home.